


When the Curtain Falls

by AliciasClarke (fyeahgila)



Series: Musical AU [1]
Category: The Rolling Stones
Genre: A tiny bit of smut, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1980s, Break Up, Broadway, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Open Relationships, Swearing, alternative universe - musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 19:17:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18350030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fyeahgila/pseuds/AliciasClarke
Summary: Mick and Ronnie used to be one of the most glamorous couples in the New Yorker musical scene not only on, but also off the stage. They haven't been alright, however, for months and even though Ronnie still feels so weak for Mick, he's finally breaking up with him. He cannot stand being only his second choice any longer and also might have found what he was looking for in someone else...





	When the Curtain Falls

**Author's Note:**

> So, I finally did it XD  
> I made this post (https://weirdpicturesoftherollingstones.tumblr.com/post/176231316971/just-your-ordinary-band-pic-looking-like-a-poster) last year in July and ever since then that idea was stuck in my mind, now finally I managed to get to it, at least in the form of a oneshot...  
> After all that cheesy lovey-dovey stuff I posted recently, I wanted something not so fluffy and this is why I decided to write a break-up scene for a change xD hope you enjoy it and if you like it, I might write and post some more for this AU eventually, because I already have the one or other idea for a prequel/sequel...
> 
> the work title is taken from the song of the same name by Greta Van Fleet (whom by the way are brilliant and if you haven't heard of them you totally should check them out cause they're a new band making 70s rock and it's just fantastic :D)

New York City - 1986

By the time he was walking home from the subway station to the brownstone building on 96th street on the Upper West Side, where he shared an apartment with Mick, he was completely drenched with rain. Even despite almost freezing his ass off in the chilly air of the early November night, Ronnie dreaded getting home from rehearsals at the musical company that they both were having an engagement with. Mick had left rehearsals earlier that afternoon in order to go easy on his hoarse voice and rest for a little while, since the premier day of their new Broadway show was coming up fast. 

He didn't know what he'd find there once he entered their apartment. Maybe Mick would be immediately confronting him about the drawings that he had left inside a book on the living room table right on purpose for Mick to find them. Maybe, he wouldn't say a word and not talk to him, just ignoring what happened. This would be the worst, because Ronnie needed to get it all out in the open. Probably he was a coward, but it had been the only way he could come up with to try and finally spill it out and come clean. About the fact that he didn't want to be with Mick anymore, that he'd fallen for Keith instead, who was a musician in the live band at their company. 

Ronnie had joined the musical company almost four years ago, coming to New York from overseas where he first used to work with smaller musical theatres in London. It had been huge and incredible for him to score an engagement at a renowned company on Broadway. His first role was the main support, and love interest of the leading role character Mick had been playing in a daring and provocative new play. It was focusing on two queer guys desperately falling in love with each other, starting a heated affair behind the backs of their families and friends. Eventually, it led to the suicide of Ronnie's character because he couldn't stand all the lying, the sneaking around, the longing, and the social expectations anymore. 

Back then, in the New Yorker musical scene, Ronnie had been an absolute nobody, while Mick already was an established and well liked star who regularly earned leading roles and was highly celebrated among theatre critics, the audience, and the media. When first meeting Mick, Ronnie had thought that he was an arrogant snob, somewhat narcissistic and cocky. But pretty quickly, that first impression had faded and they actually got along rather amazingly, being two lads from London and all. Their on-stage chemistry had been palpable, almost electrifying, right from the first time they had stepped on stage together. And long before the musical even premiered, everyone who'd already gotten a taste of it was absolutely mesmerized by their performance. 

Between all the rehearsals, they had also spent a lot of time together outside of the musical, because they just had hit it off so incredibly well. Pretty soon it had turned out that Mick and him weren't only portraying two guys being in love with each other, but they actually ended up falling in love off stage as well. After a few months of trying to hide it from everyone, it had been almost comical to them that they were basically acting like the roles they were taking on on stage. There already had been rumours in the boulevard papers for weeks, showing paparazzi taken candids of them huddling up closely at some fashion event, strolling through Central Park eating ice cream, going out for dinner at some nice restaurant. 

One night, after performing the musical for a while already, they eventually had left the theatre together, arm in arm, Mick demonstratively pressing a kiss to his cheek right in front of all the waiting photographers. It had caused a huge outcry, obviously, showing the whole world that they weren't only playing it on stage, but that they actually were lovers. People were outraged about it, in the positive and negative way. In the end it had caused the company a hell of a lot of publicity and the demand for tickets had exploded. They had to add a couple more dates and still not everybody could come to see the show. Obviously, there also had been the obligatory homophobes insulting them, calling to boycott the musical company, and some bad tongues claiming it all was nothing but a well planned publicity stunt. They had been invited to a lot of talk shows, were asked to give dozens of interviews, and everybody just wanted a piece of the new glamorous couple the press made them out to be. It had been exhausting and annoying but they still were happy together throughout it all. They were the ones everyone envied at every party or social event they showed up to, and everybody was commenting on how perfect they always were together. And they really were, it all went amazingly great between them, despite all the attention they were drawing, they still managed to turn out all the tumult and just be Mick and Ronnie, two guys who fell in love. 

After a while, it all had calmed down a bit, although they still were a press favourite, even after over three years. Ronnie wasn't going to lie, being with Mick had enhanced his career immensely and after that first musical which started it all, they'd starred in some more shows together. Somewhere along the line, though, things had gotten rocky between them. Where once used to be so much love and respect and tenderness, nowadays Ronnie didn't even know what they were doing anymore, especially since the last half a year or so. He was so tired of Mick's fallouts by now, and him taking advantage all of the time of their agreement to try leading an open relationship. Mick was screwing around town a hell of a lot, he always had. Even in the beginning when they were supposed to be exclusive, Ronnie had eventually found out about Mick cheating on him at least twice. 

But since he had actually regretted it, claiming that he still really loved him, and promised to do better, he had forgiven him eventually. More than just once. Because apart from this, he was incredibly sweet and caring, and even despite it all, Ronnie still was deeply in love with him. He had even agreed to Mick's suggestion of having other lovers, as long as it only were one night stands, thinking that maybe this would help them. Although he didn't care about anyone else. Mick was all he wanted and he needed Mick to want only him as well. But after realising it wasn't going to happen that way, Ronnie had ended up sleeping with a couple of other people eventually. He didn't care about any of them and didn't understand the kick Mick seemed to get out of this, or why he needed this so much, and after trying for a while, he just let it be. But it left him incredibly unhappy, feeling that while he still, even despite everything that happened, loved Mick so much, apparently he wasn’t enough for him. Because otherwise he couldn't explain why Mick would do this to him, and he hated that he couldn't just get over him already and leave him, but let himself get hurt instead over and over again. 

The worst part of it all was that while their relationship was falling apart, Mick still was playing happy couple in front of other people, pretending that everything was going great between them, and Ronnie despised himself for playing along to it. At least until one night about three months ago, when they had went to the after show party for the closing night of the last musical show they had been performing. At first, Mick had been all touchy-feely and cuddled up to him like he always was at these events. During the time when Ronnie hadn’t given up on their relationship yet, he’d always hoped that things would get like they used to be. That Mick still was that cute, charming guy he’d fallen for in the first place. That they wouldn't just play pretend for everyone else, that they'd go home together happily chatting, holding hands, sharing kisses. That they wouldn't end up on a wordless cab drive, saying they were tired once they got home and then would be sleeping on opposite sides of their bed, but that they'd make love instead. 

These occasions had become fewer with time and sometimes Ronnie asked himself why they even still were together. Maybe it was convenience or habit, or the longing for these rare moments every now and again where everything was like it used to be, like it was supposed to be. When they actually were cooking dinner together, or going out for a drink, when they went home together after rehearsals and were holding hands. When they cuddled up in the living room, watching some silly TV show, or when they both didn't just sleep in the same bed, but actually ended up sleeping with each other. 

But by that night, he was starting to finally come to terms with the fact that it all was just wishful thinking and that he probably should eventually get it over with and break up with Mick, since Mick himself apparently didn't seem to get it, or simply didn’t seem to care. That night, Mick hadn’t even bothered to play pretend the whole time, but eventually had left Ronnie standing by himself to chat up some brunette woman by the bar that he had been ogling for a while. Ronnie had drowned the rest of his drink, contemplating to leave, when Keith had spotted him and came over, figuring out immediately that Ronnie wasn't alright. 

Obviously, they'd already known each other before this encounter, with Keith being one of the guitar players from the live band. They'd exchanged the one or other word before, but never had had a real conversation. Until that night. Keith had bought him another drink and they ended up talking about everything and nothing for hours, eventually leaving the party, strolling through nighttime New York, through the Riverside Park along the Hudson River. Keith had brought him home that night, asking him if they could maybe grab a drink sometime soon. And Ronnie had agreed, because Keith was really funny, and quite handsome, and had an infectious laugh. And he loved the way he was looking at him. Like he was the only person in the whole world who mattered to him right in that moment. 

So they had met at a bar for a drink only a few nights later, talking and laughing, and walking over to Keith's place eventually, holding hands the whole time. They'd made love to each other for the first time that night and it had been incredibly wonderful and perfect, and left Ronnie silently crying into the pillow as Keith already had dozed off, an arm wrapped tightly around him. Against the arrangement he had with Mick, after that night, Ronnie kept on seeing Keith and sleeping with him again many times in the following days and weeks. He slowly started to just not care anymore about what he'd agreed to with Mick, because probably neither did he. Keith simply was too caring and sweet, treating him like Mick hadn’t anymore in a way too long time. 

They could be talking for hours about the weirdest and most random stuff. Or they could just lie completely wrapped up on the bed or couch in complete silence, caressing and kissing each other. Keith took him on random short trips, like going out to grab a milkshake at 2am, or taking the elevator up to the highest floor and then getting out onto the flat rooftop, looking at the thousands of lights underneath and around them. Sex was also totally amazing with Keith, he was a really great lover. But most of all, he showed Ronnie with everything he did or said that he really wanted him. That he wanted to be with him and that what they were having was more than just a quick affair. He'd told him multiple times that he couldn't understand Mick (and that he couldn't stand him either), because he couldn't get why he'd treat Ronnie this poorly. Then he advised him to finally break up with Mick, because Ronnie deserved someone who actually cared about him and didn't leave him all the time to shag someone else. 

This always made him pretty emotional and he honestly couldn't find a proper explanation as for why he didn't just finally end things with Mick. He'd been holding out long enough, hoping against his better judgement that things would change and everything would be like it used to be. So eventually, after he realised that he started falling for Keith, he told himself that Mick needed to know. And that they finally needed to break up. But because he was too coward to just bring it up, he'd come up with the plan of leaving the pencil sketches he'd made of Keith for Mick to find them so that he would figure it all out. 

It were some random drawings of Keith's face, his callused hands with all his rings, Keith sitting on the couch with his guitar, totally engrossed in the song he was playing. But it also were really intimate ones. Ronnie hugging him from behind, pressing a kiss to his neck, Keith sleepily lying in bed after they’d made love one morning, the covers barely covering anything. There also was the one or other nude. Ronnie had shown most of these pictures to Keith who was totally flattered and impressed by his talent and loved all of the sketches very much. 

As Ronnie finally reached the flat he’s been sharing with Mick for the past three years, his hands were shaking a little as he pulled out his keys to open the front door. The light in the floor was on, but apart from that, all other rooms seemed to be dark. 

“Mick?”, he called out, after he'd taken off his coat and shoes, going to the bathroom to take a towel and dry his rain-soaked face and hair. He didn't get any reply, so he walked over to the bedroom, which was empty as well. Probably he should take a hot shower, but he wasn't really in the mood to do that. With a sigh, he got out of his clothes and put on some sweatpants and a t-shirt, musing that Mick probably had just left, maybe seeking out another lover. As he didn't find him in the kitchen either, he started to panic lightly, thinking that maybe Mick never came home earlier and hadn't even got a chance to find the drawings yet. Then he probably might have to find another way to break things to him...

After he'd fetched himself a bottle of beer from the fridge, he made his way into the living room to watch some TV, since apparently Mick wasn't home and their conversation would have to wait. Switching on the light, he almost let out a scream and nearly dropped the bottle he was holding, as he found Mick sitting by himself on their white leather couch, just staring into nothingness. In front of him, on the living room table, there was his sketchbook lying around, open. Some of the drawings taken out and spread on the table. He'd known Mick would at least take a look at it if he just left it there, because he couldn't stand if Ronnie let his stuff all lying around in places it wasn't supposed to be in Mick's opinion. 

“Why?”, is all Mick asked, finally zooming in and directing his gaze at Ronnie. His voice didn't sound angry, he didn't look mad, rather hurt and in disbelief.

“You're honestly asking me that?”, Ronnie got out, trying hard to hold back a sarcastic laugh, just shaking his head instead. He couldn't believe Mick had the nerve to ask him why, after everything that happened. 

“I thought we had an agreement, Ron...what's this? How long has it been going on?”, Mick wanted to know, the tune of his voice rather apathetic, but Ronnie knew very well that he was aggrieved. 

“You wanted this...I never asked for it. I didn't want anyone else but you…”, he meant instead of answering his questions. 

“Then why did you agree to it?”, Mick asked, almost baffled and Ronnie knew he didn't get him. 

“Cause you wanted it! You needed it, you were screwing half of New York and left me alone! What did you think I was gonna do?”, he said angrier and more forcefully than intended. 

“You could have told me”, Mick meant, running a hand through his hair almost helplessly as he got onto his feet. 

“I am now!”

“No...I mean that you weren't happy anymore”, he clarified as he made his way over to where Ronnie was standing. 

“You wouldn't have listened...you didn't care, or did you?”, Ronnie blamed him, obviously incredibly hurt by Mick's behaviour during the past months. 

“But I do...”, Mick tried, though Ronnie wouldn't have it. It was complete nonsense. He'd given in way too often and this time he wouldn’t bend again, wouldn't get hurt yet another time. 

“Yeah, I can see that...how much you cared about me the past half a year or so”, he replied, almost tauntingly and glared at Mick. 

“How should I have known when you didn't talk to me?”, Mick tried defending himself, looking at him incredulously and Ronnie almost rolled his eyes because it was so absurd. 

“You were never there and if you were, you were busy with all of your other shit”, Ronnie blamed him further, glad that he finally had the chance to spill it all out. It was surprisingly relieving. 

“Then tell me what I can do”, Mick said now in a quieter tone, looking at him out of his wide blue eyes. “I want to fix this, Ronnie…”, he stretched out a hand to put it on his arm, but Ronnie flinched away from him. 

“Now? You're at least half a year to late for that”, Ronnie meant, snorting and walked out of the living room, over to the bedroom in order to retrieve a suitcase. He was determined not to give in this time, this time he’d leave for good and not be sucked in by promises Mick would never be able to keep anyway. 

“Please, Ronnie…I'll stop this if you want me to...I'll be there for you”, Mick sounded almost pleading now as he followed him into their bedroom. 

“You don't even love me anymore”, he accused him, pulling out a suitcase, starting to randomly grab some of his clothes to put them inside. 

“But I do”, Mick claimed and Ronnie stopped packing for a moment to give him an incredulous look. 

“Bullshit”, he let out a harsh laugh, not believing a word Mick was saying. If he really still loved him, then why did he treat him like he didn't care a lot of the time? 

“Don't leave me, darling, please…tell me what I can do”, he was outright pleading him now, grabbing Ronnie's arm, but he only shook him off, annoyed. 

“Leave me alone, Mick!” 

“Are you in love with him? That guy...what's his name, Ken?”, Mick wanted to know then and as Ronnie turned around to him, he found him looking seriously hurt. It almost made him feel sorry but then he reminded himself that Mick was the reason he'd felt like crap for months and that if someone should be sorry then it was Mick, not him. 

“Keith…”, is all he returned, before continuing to stuff his clothes into the suitcase.

“Are you in love with him?”, he repeated, even though the answer probably seemed quite obvious after he'd seen the sketches. Ronnie only gave him a short nod in reply. 

“Then what about us?”, Mick dared to ask and Ronnie almost let out another snort at that question. There hadn't really been an ‘us’ anymore in a way too long time. 

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you're still in love with me, Mick”, he demanded and watched him bite his bottom lip, as Ronnie himself suppressed a little sigh. Eventually Mick’s gaze met his own and he wasn't sure what to make of the look on his face. He seemed quite devastated and broken-hearted, and for a moment, Ronnie wanted to believe him so badly. But he knew it never would end well, they'd been there before. He couldn't be this stupid once more, there was no way he'd give in another time. Mick didn't deserve another chance and Ronnie deserved better than that. At least that's what Keith had told him a dozen times already and finally it started to stick with him. 

“I love you”, Mick said, his voice sounding desperate, but Ronnie didn't really buy it, didn't want to, even though he could see tears welling up in his eyes. 

“You don't mean it like I need you to”, he just gave back, staying hard, although it took him some composure. What if Mick actually meant it this time? Then again, he’d promised before, again and again and again. In the end, Ronnie always felt left out and lonely because Mick wouldn't keep his word. He should have realised this so much sooner...

“Did you leave them on purpose, the drawings?”, Mick asked instead of saying anything more to that matter. Ronnie just nodded again in reply.

“I see...so you didn't have the balls to tell me and wanted me to find out like that? Coming home, finding...finding sketches of another man's face and hands...and his cock, Ronnie? Bloody hell...”, Mick seemed more aggrieved than angry and Ronnie almost wished he'd scream and shout at him. It would be a hundred times better than seeing this hurt look in Mick’s teary eyes. 

“Well, it's better than coming home and finding your boyfriend taking another man’s cock up his arse in your goddamn bedroom”, Ronnie all but yelled at him, reminding him of what happened about a year ago, back when they actually were not seeing other people yet and Mick clearly had cheated on him. He never should have forgiven him for this, but he did, because he was outstandingly stupid and impossibly weak, he was sure that he needed Mick in his life and felt that he couldn’t stand being without him. 

“Does he do you well at least? Is he shagging you better than I am?”, Mick sounded angry now, his voice raised for the first time since Ronnie found him with the sketches. 

“Fuck you, Mick...I never asked you any of that, or should I have? What's your bloody problem? You can do whatever the fuck you want with whomever, and when I dare to go out there, you get all pissed off?”, it all started to completely get onto his nerves and by now Ronnie simply couldn't believe how he managed to take this so long. Why he never dared to leave Mick before. That it took meeting Keith first to give him the courage to do so. 

“I didn't fall in love with any of these people, Ron, you did!”, Mick complained and Ronnie just laughed a bitter laugh. 

“Because you don’t give a shit about me anymore and I felt lonely all the time...”, he meant by way of explanation, not yelling this time. It hurt finally speaking the truth, even if it was freeing. But he'd been with Mick for more than three years and it hadn't always been just bad like this. They'd had a lot of amazingly great times together and it was tough leaving all of this behind. They'd been Mick and Ronnie for such a long time that now it probably was hard for both of them to accept that it wouldn't be like this any longer. 

“Then why didn't you just leave me before?”, Mick wanted to know, calmer again, he sounded almost curious. 

“Because I loved you, I fucking loved you, Mick, okay?”, he gave back, wanting to sound angry, but it only came across as hurt, his voice almost breaking. 

“I still love you, Ron”, Mick returned and the look in his eyes was so vulnerable and sad that Ronnie nearly believed him. But he couldn't let himself fall for it yet again. 

“Fuck you, Mick”, he only meant in reply, because he didn't want to hear any of this. He couldn't, it might make him get weak once more. 

“It's true, darling”, Mick added, gently touching his hand with his own, but Ronnie just made a step back. 

“You’re a goddamn asshole and a bloody liar”, he accused him and Mick looked like he'd punched him in the face. 

“Ronnie, please...”, he started, but was disrupted by him. 

“Why can't you just let me go?”

“Is that what you want?”, Mick inquired, looking at him expectantly. 

“I've been...hoping...and waiting for months...for you to...I don't know...be the man you used to be...it's been taking me ages to realise you won't change...and I've been falling out of love with you, Mick...just let me go”, he felt tears stinging in his eyes at these words. 

“Then fucking leave, what are you waiting for?”

“I bloody hate you, Mick”, Ronnie all but sighed, so completely done with this. He didn't remember how often they'd been at this point, so far he'd always forgiven him. But today he wouldn't. 

“No you don't” Mick meant, approaching him again, cupping his cheeks with his hands and then just closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against Ronnie's almost forcefully. Mick was kissing him hard, demanding and Ronnie hated himself for giving in almost immediately. He grabbed a handful of Mick's hair to pull him closer as he returned his kiss, sloppy, almost hungrily, pushing his tongue into Mick's mouth with near desperation. A pleased sigh escaped Mick and his hands started roaming over Ronnie's body, down his sides, trailing along the waistband of his sweatpants. He just managed to break away as Mick pressed his hand against his bulge, shaking his head, but not pushing him away. It was almost outraging that he didn't have any self-control around Mick, that by just kissing him, Ronnie literally melted under his touch. He wanted to end this once and for all, but he also wanted Mick. 

“You still want me”, Mick asserted, his forehead leaning against Ronnie's, both of them breathing heavily, as he lightly ran his fingers over him through the fabric of his pants and Ronnie winced because he could feel that he'd be growing hard like that pretty quickly. It was embarrassing and frustrating that even after how poorly Mick treated him, he still wanted him so badly. He was like a drug he couldn’t stop taking even though he knew that it would destroy him. No matter how often he tried to get away from him, he always came back, desperate for more because he was like an addict. Even if it wasn't enough and never would be. 

“You're not good for me…”, is all he could come up with, cursing himself for not just finally getting out of there, but playing with the hair at the back of Mick's head instead. Mick had always made him feel amazing when he was treating him well. He could be wonderful and generous, but he also possessed the power to ruin him. 

“I can do better, darling, I promise…this time I will”, Mick murmured, kissing his neck as he dipped his fingers under the waistband of Ronnie's pants, and he just let him because he wanted to feel this one last time, being touched by Mick like this. 

“No, Mick...not yet again…”, he got out in a weak attempt, not even meaning it, as he felt Mick's fingers upon him, making his legs tremble. 

“Leave me then, go to Keith”, he said, almost daring, with a knowing grin, and Ronnie couldn't stifle a moan as Mick started to rub his thumb over his tip lightly. And Ronnie pulled him closer, clutching to him like he was the only thing saving him. When in fact he was the sole reason for his misery. 

“I hate you for making me love you like this, for making me always want you…”, he mumbled against Mick’s neck, just not able to stop him, to get away from him and his touch. 

“I never wanted to hurt you, baby, I never meant to”, Mick whispered, pressing kisses to his jawline as his fingers kept sliding over him, making him feel light headed. 

“Well, but you did...”, Ronnie got out eventually, finally snapping out of it, realising what was going on once more. If he didn't stop Mick now, it might all just start over again, all the longing, the loneliness, and the heartbreak. 

“I'm so sorry, darling, please tell me how to make this right again...do you want me now? Do you want this?”, he asked, his fingers still gently caressing him, and it took Ronnie everything to finally grab Mick's arm and push him away from himself. He turned away from him, embarrassed and angry at himself, putting some more stuff into his suitcase, while trying to ignore the throbbing between his legs and the desire to be touched by Mick again. 

“Look, Mick...it would be a hell of a lot easier, if we didn't have to work together. Then I could just walk out that door and be good...but we gotta see each other every fucking day…”, he finally said, closing his packed suitcase. 

“What do you want?”

“Don't try to get me back, Mick...I can't do this all over again...Keith's a really great guy...just let me go and let me be with him...can you do that for me, please? It's all I'm asking for, Mick…”, Ronnie pleaded with him. It was the only way out. He had to think of Keith now. How sweet and amazing he was and how he cared about him. How disappointed and pissed he'd be to hear that Ronnie hadn't managed to break up with Mick after all. He couldn't do this to Keith, not to himself either. But Keith was the one who'd made him realise that he didn't have to continue being miserable because of Mick. That there was more out there for him, for him and Keith. That they could be really happy together if Ronnie just finally allowed it. 

“It's a hell of a lot to ask for, making me stand by and just watch you with another man”, Mick said, glaring at him. 

“Well it’s what I did for years, now you know what it feels like...Mick, please...I'm not happy anymore like this…if you love me then let me go, you know you're bad for me, Mick...I cannot do this again, please…”, he tried again. 

“And he makes you happy?” Ronnie was thinking about Keith, how he made him laugh, how he truly cared about him. How he told him that he really wanted to be with him. And he nodded. 

“Don't leave me like this, Ronnie…”, Mick said, a last attempt, but of course Ronnie didn't care. He finally just didn't give a damn anymore. 

“Mick, come on...you know it's been over a long time ago…”

“But I love you still”, he was actually crying now and Ronnie let out a sigh. 

“Mick please, don't make this so hard for both of us.”

“You can't expect me not to…”, Mick cried, a tear running down his cheek. 

“Why didn't you show me earlier that you still wanted me then? You knew damn well we weren't alright…you just took me for granted”, Ronnie blamed him, sounding angry again. 

“I didn't...I don’t”, Mick stuttered, it was pathetic. 

“Stop kidding yourself. You just can’t stand the thought of me being with someone else...but it's not fair, Mick. I had to watch you leave with other people over and over again”, he told him, it was relieving to finally be able to get it off his chest. 

“I always came back to you, tho”, Mick meant and Ronnie snorted. 

“Not really, you didn't. And also you need me for the glamour. You're afraid what it’ll be like once we won't show up on the media together anymore”, he said, feeling that maybe it was the truth. 

“That's insane, Ron”, Mick commented, staring at him. 

“Is it? You’re always playing pretend for the press and everyone else, why would you act like we're alright and on the way home you won't even look at me anymore?”

“I just don’t want all the gossip breaking down on us once they figure out something might be up…”, he tried explaining, but Ronnie knew it was bollocks. 

“Fuck you, Mick, you've always been an attention seeking whore and I don't believe a word you say”, he threw at him, a low blow, but it was exactly what it felt like. 

“Ronnie, come on...I'm really trying here…”

“What are you trying? I don't want you to”, Ronnie only said, grabbing his suitcase and pulling it out onto the floor. 

“Can’t I do anything? Come on, let me prove to you that I still love you”, Mick came after him, trying to stop him. 

“I'm leaving now, Mick”, Ronnie said with a sigh. He's had enough of this. Leaving now would be the best decision he ever made. 

“Ronnie, please…”, Mick grabbed his arm, trying to pull him closer. 

“Take your hand away, Mick”, Ronnie only returned, totally annoyed and surprisingly, Mick obliged. 

“Can I kiss you...just a last time?”, he asked instead, he sounded desperate. But Ronnie shook his head at this, slipping his shoes on instead. He couldn't let him. It would cost him too much self control not to get weak about it. 

“I'm so sorry, baby”, Mick meant, his voice tear-stained, as Ronnie had put on his coat, one hand at the door knob already, opening it. 

“No, I am...for not leaving earlier”, Ronnie said with determination as he finally stepped out into the stairway, pulling the suitcase behind him, not looking back.


End file.
